Representatives from the business community and government are among the members of the 12-member team that will begin meeting in September.

Their goal is to find ways to save a rail line expected to be abandoned by its current operator not long after a $2-million provincial subsidy expires on Sept. 30.

"As user of the system I can give some perspective from this end of the province and this end of the line on what it means to our business and hopefully facilitate some solutions to keep the service going," said Sean Burke, who will represent the Cape Breton Rail Users Group.

"This is what ministers Geoff MacLellan and Michel Samson had indicated they would put together and they have followed through on what they had indicated. I think they've given us a good vehicle to try to find a solution to this issue."

Richmond County CAO Warren Olsen is one of five municipal CAOs named to the working group.

"I feel honoured that I was asked and look forward to contributing," Olsen said. "Until we get together and we have our first meeting, I'm not quite sure exactly what it is I will be asked to offer."

Though his contribution is unclear at this point, he said CAOs can support the work of the elected officials on the rail issue.

"They have a role to govern and set policy and direction and I think we'll be there to try to do the work they need, whether it be research, advice or recommendations and other input."

The notion of a working group was born during an emergency meeting in June to discuss the decision by Genesee and Wyoming, operator of the rail line, to begin the process of abandoning the track.

"With each respective level of government it was about who would be the department representative that would best reflect the mandate of the group," said MacLellan, the provincial Transport Minister, about group membership.

"It was really identifying individuals and positions within respective levels that could come to the table, bring energy, bring an understanding and bring resources."

Rail and private business expertise were important, he noted, as was the perspective of municipal CAOs.

"These are the folks that really dig into the details of municipalities and how they function and how their operations work."

Federal representatives will bring important information, background and significant resources, he added.

"We have the structure of people who really want to dive in and get to work. We are looking forward to it and are hopeful it will provide solid information that we can use to ultimately decide the fate of the the Sydney subdivision."

MacLellan has previously stated the group will largely be on a "fact-finding" mission, but seeking out a potential buyer for the rail line is also part of its mandate. He reiterated those statements after the working group was announced on Friday.

"This, for us, is about finding an organization that is willing to commit to the Sydney subdivision and, again, that is based on the fact there is a business model here that makes sense economically."

MacLellan said there will be a significant number of information-driven meetings attached to working group membership once they begin getting together in September.

The group will submit its interim report in December and then a final report in the spring.

Reaching out to Genesee and Wyoming will also be part of the process, MacLellan noted.

The rail company has stated only about 500 railcars run on the Cape Breton line annually. And about 10,000 would be needed to run the line cost-effectively.